1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for reducing the size of a display whilst substantially maintaining its information content.
It is desirable to be able to so reduce the size of a display. For example, if a display occupies the whole of an available display area, the aforesaid reduction in its size would free display area for the additional display of further information.
More particularly the invention relates to a method of and apparatus for reducing the size of a display whilst substantially maintaining its information content wherein the display comprises a plot in a first direction of a number of data values, and the extent of the display in the first direction is reduced by reducing the number of data values plotted.
2. Description of Related Art
In one known method of the above kind in a measurement instrument where the display is of the results of a series of measurements made by the instrument, the size of the display is reduced by reducing the number of measurements made and hence results to be displayed. However, this method requires, in addition to the making of the measurements for the original display, the subsequent making of the reduced number of measurements for the display of reduced size.
In another known method of the above kind where the reduction ratio, i.e. the ratio of the number of data values plotted in the original display to the number of data values plotted in the reduced size display, is an .integer, the data values plotted in the original display are divided up into a series of groups, each consisting of a number of data values equal to the reduction ratio. The data value of each group of the greatest magnitude is selected, alternatively from one group to the next the data values of the greatest and smallest magnitudes are alternately selected. The selected data values are then utilised to form the reduced size display. This method, however, can only be used when the reduction ratio is an integer, i.e. not a fraction.